Heroin dealer jailed for six months

Galway City Tribune – A member of a Lithuanian criminal gang which Gardai believe is bringing heroin into Galway, has been jailed for six months.

Modestas Svagzdys (45), of no fixed abode, appeared in custody before Galway District Court where he denied a charge of obstructing Detective Noel McNulty in the course of his duty at Terryland Forest Park on November 10 last.

Det McNulty told the hearing that he and other members of the Divisional Drugs Unit were carrying out surveillance at the park as part of an ongoing investigation into the sale and supply of heroin in the area by a known criminal gang, when they observed the accused get out of a car at 10am on the date in question.

He emerged from the park ten minutes later and at that point, Det McNulty, accompanied by Detectives PJ Noone and Frank Hand approached him on foot.

Svagzdys turned and walked the other way when he saw the three Gardai approach. They followed and caught up with him.

Det McNulty said he formally identified himself to the accused and that as he was telling him he was about to be searched, Svagzdys placed a number of items, believed to be small bags of heroin, into his mouth. He refused to spit them out but instead began to chew and swallow them.

He was arrested and subsequently charged with obstruction of a Garda.

Gardai then became aware there was a bench warrant already in existence for his arrest in Cork and he was brought before a special court sitting where bail was refused.

Defence solicitor, Deirdre Sharkey put it to Det McNulty that her client had very little English and his evidence would be that he was out walking in the park, minding his own business, when he was approached by three men whom he did not know.

Det McNulty said he and his colleagues were carrying out surveillance of a Lithuanian crime group selling heroin and that the accused was known to them and he also knew them from a previous encounter.

Det PJ Noone and Det Frank Hand gave evidence they witnessed Svagzdys put bags of heroin into his mouth when told he was about to be searched for drugs.

They said the accused was known to them and that he had been in Ireland for six months and had basic English.

Svagzdys gave evidence with the help of an interpreter.  He said he went into the park to go to the toilet. He said a man spoke to him in English when he came out of the park and he got down on his knees and put his hands up when he noticed the man was pointing a gun at him.

He denied knowing they were Gardai and said he had only been in Galway for two days before this.

During cross examination by Insp Karen Maloney, however, the accused admitted he had been prosecuted by Det Frank Hand in Galway last April.

Judge Mary Fahy convicted Svagzdys of the offence.

Insp Maloney said he had 27 previous convictions and is currently serving a four-month sentence imposed last month for a similar obstruction of a drugs search in Cork.

Judge Fahy sentenced him to six months in prison, to be served consecutively to the sentence he is currently serving.